GAMES & GAMING1) What was the first video game you ever played?Crash Bandicoot! As a 1994 child I remember playing this for the first time as a three year old (it’s one of my earliest memories). I was absolutely terrible at it, but it was such a crazy game and memorable that I absolutely loved it and kept playing it until I got better. I watched my older brother, Martin, play the Final Fantasy games all the time too though, probably before I even tried playing anything myself. VI and VII captivated me and pretty much ensured I’d be playing RPGs for the rest of my life!2) What are some of your favorites games, past & present?

Well as you might have guessed from that previous answer, Final Fantasy VI and VII are up there! Final Fantasy IX and X have a special place as they were the first ones I played myself. Xenogears, Shenmue, Valkyria Chronicles and Persona 4 are also personal favourites of mine! I have high hopes for Persona 5 and FFXV too!

3) What is your preferred platform, PC or console?

PC is much more convenient for me now, so probably that. I grew up as a console gamer though.

4) Do your friends or family or co-workers know you like MMO’s?

I don’t really try and hide it! They maybe don’t realise quite how much time I sink into them, but they definitely know I play them. My older brother, Martin, who I mentioned earlier, also plays FFXIV, but he’s a member of a more hardcore FC so we agreed I should go my own way and we can play together if we can.

5) What, in your opinion, makes a great video game?

As someone who studies writing, a great story and narrative will always come top of my list. If I’m captivated by the story and the characters there’s a very strong chance it’ll be a favourite of mine. Fun gameplay can take it from great, to special though. A perfect balance of both is one of those games you’ll remember for a long time.

FINAL FANTASY XIV

1) What currently is your favorite job/class in the game?

So far I’ve only took WHM to 50 and I’ve really enjoyed it! I don’t know if I have the concentration to play it in endgame but I have really enjoyed playing in the role! I’m looking at doing something like BRD next though, so we’ll see how that goes.

2) Do you have a favorite race, and if so, why?

I was originally part of the Elezen master race (as Gid was calling it last night), but I used my Fantasia to become Au Ra, which I absolutely love the model for! So probably Au Ra, even if I am still trying to get used to having a tail.

3) What single job/class, if any, would you like to see added?

Red Mage, or a pure buff/debuff supporting class. I think it’s something that the game is really missing, something along the lines of a Saboteur from FFXIII, those are the kinds of jobs I love to play, so I would love so see something similar added at some point!

4) What, outside of the above, would you like to see in Eorzea?

Blitzball? It’s an unpopular minigame for a lot of people but I absolutely loved playing it. You could have your character specialise in a specific position, maybe make it FC teams competing on a server, I would absolutely love it! It would need to be reworked a little to work as a multiplayer game but I really do think it would be fun.

5) What do you like most about the game?

The sense of community I’ve encountered has been nice. Before I left the game I never really knew anyone, but I’ve met a lot of really kind and nice people since I returned, not only in the free company, but across the server. The story is great and I enjoy playing it, but I think knowing people on the game now has made me enjoy it a lot more than I was before.

CHAOS THEORY

1) What is your impression of Chaos Theory so far?

Everyone seems friendly and fun! I’ve sadly had a lot going on in the last few weeks so I’ve had less time than I’d like to get to know everyone, but I’m happy to be a part of such a great community!

2) Whether or not you are a long-time MMORPG’er or a newbie, tell us what your ideal gaming community would provide, and do, for you.

I’m pretty much a newbie to MMO’s so I don’t have the experience of Linkshell’s from FFXI or Guilds in other games to really inform me. But I think CT has been pretty much what I’d hope for from a gaming community so far, if people ask for help in dungeons, there’s pretty much always someone to come and help out. There’s dedicated learning party’s for dungeons and raids. Support both casual and more hardcore elements (like statics). I’m trying to think of things that I might not get, but I’m not sure I can.

ALL ABOUT ME

1) What, in your life so far, are you most proud of?

So far? I was proud I made it into university. I was the youngest of four brothers (now five, and a middle child) most of the time growing up, and none of my brothers made it into uni, so I kind of just expected to be the same and go out and get a job at the end of high school. I come from a low income background and outwith one cousin, none of my family have been to university at all, so it was a huge deal for me when I got the exam results to make it in.

2) What goals do you have for your future, either in-game or real life, or both?

I’d love to be an author, or a journalist. I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, and although my muse has left me somewhat in the last year or so, I’m still dreaming of a future where I can achieve that! In-game, I’m just wanting to catch up to the Heavensward stuff and find a job that I can join in end-game stuff with!

3) What is one challenge you’ve had to overcome recently?

This year in university, I had a lot of stuff going on personally that meant I had close to 0% attendance for the whole year. I can’t afford to resit a year, so exams were really stressful (and made even harder by having an automatic 0 in all of the attendance and class based elements of the course) as was completing all the essays and such on time. But I just got my results back and found out I’ve done enough to progress, which I’m really grateful for!

4) What is something about you that many people don’t know?

My parents jokingly still call me a “blue baby” sometimes, cause I was born being choked by my own umbilical chord and apparantly almost never made it past my first few days. The usual picture of the mother holding the baby after birth was replaced by my dad holding me in intensive care. It must have been horrible for them at the time, but it’s nice we can joke about it now, I guess. (Is this too dark? I can pick something more lighthearted if you want!)

5) If you could visit any country or place in the world that you have not been to, where would it be, and why?

Until recently I’d have said Rome, but thankfully I got to cross that one off of my bucket list (and it is absolutely beautiful, I highly recommend going if you can!). So now I’d probably say Athens. If you haven’t guessed from those two answers, I’m an absolute sucker for ancient history, and both of these cities are steeped in it. I would be having a field day, running around like a little child with all that stuff to see.

About the Author

Chaos Theory is a Final Fantasy 14 Free Company on the Hyperion Server. Our mission is to provide a safe, friendly home free of elitism that provides its members a structure in which to participate in all Eorzea has to offer.